OF ADELAIDE DE SANCERRE. ΤΤΟ COUNT DE NANCE. Devoting All to love, each was to each a dearer self; Supremely happy in th' awakened power, Of giving joy. NEW BEREMA 1804. PARIS, Monday 2d Nov. 17 I WAS waiting for your anfwer with impa tience; I thought it would announce to me a happy change in the difpofition of that good kinfman who fhews fo much politenefs and obftinacy in his endeavour to ruin your lifter. I am much irritated against him, my dear Count. This difagreeable difcuffion of interett has taufed you to pafs the fall in Brittany, and will perhaps detain you there all winter. You owe advice to your lifter, care and allistance to your nephews. The facrifice of your time, of your pleafures, is truly generous; I approve of it; but I thall not fee you. I repeat this to myfelf with much regret, with much chagrin. Never did I more ardently with for you; you will alk me why; I do not know. I am without business, without embarraffment, at least in appearance: Yet you may be necellary to me; I feel it. Alas! when can a friend be ufelefs? B Monfieur de Montalais is at laft reftored to his. friends, who anxioufly wifhed his return. Monfieur and Madame de Comminges, Count de Fiennes and Madame de Martigues, are celebrating his arrival with fetes. He deferves, I believe, all the fentiments he infpires. Adieu, my tender compliments to your amiable fifter. She ought to be well pleafed with me. I deprive myself of the pleasure of writing to her, not to disturb her gentle indolence. LETTER II. I AM going to entrust you with a fmall fecret; it gives birth to great hopes. Monf. de Meri, fo determined to marry Madame de Mirande to his infipid ward, begins to forget his former prejudices. The friends of Count Termes furround the good old man, and ask him whether he intends always to afflict his dear niece. They flatter, they prefs him. Chevalier de Termes fees, amufes, pleafes him. Every thing feems combined to gratify the withes of these two amiable perfons. Madame de Martigues takes great pains. Count de Piennes is very induftrious. Termes goes, comes back, runs, trembles, hopes, defpairs, laughs and cries, twenty times in the day. A true friend and tender lover, he interefts every one in his happiness. My attachment for Madame de Mirande fixes my attention on an event on which her fortune and happiness depend. The profpect of this marriage gives much joy to Count de Fiennes. "If one of these charming widows," fays he, " fubmitted again to the yoke, the other two would follow her example. Madame de Martigues would at last determine on it. I fhould obtain her heart and her hand." The gratification of Piennes would be a true one for all his friends. If Madame de Martigues listened to my advice, fhe |